Page 69 of Protecting Josie
Remi and Wren were standing there, along with half a dozen other women. They all had huge smiles on their faces. Remi handed her a giant glass filled with some sort of slushy drink.
“To Josie!” Wren exclaimed.
“To Josie!” everyone echoed.
“Drink up, woman! We have a lot of celebrating to do!” Remi told her.
Josie smiled at her over the rim of the glass and took a sip. The alcohol burned going down her throat.
“Have fun,” Nate whispered in her ear as he leaned into her. His hand rested on her waist as he spoke. “I’ll be over there with the guys. You’re safe here, Spirit. Let loose. Enjoy.”
Josie turned to him, feeling overwhelmed with love for this man. He was letting her have a good time, while making sure she was safe in the process.
“Later,” he told her, as if he could read her mind, could seehow much she needed him. “Thirty spanks for the birthday girl.”
Her pussy spasmed at his words.
Smirking—because he knew exactly how much she liked when he smacked her ass during sex—Nate strode off toward a group of hot-looking badass men who could only be the retired Navy SEALs he’d told her so much about.
“Girl! That look on your face,” one of the older women said with a smile.
“I recognize that look!” another said.
“I’m thinking Josie’s gonna get lucky tonight,” someone else said.
“No,Blinkis,” Wren countered.
Everyone laughed.
“Come on, we have cake to eat, presents to open, and drinks to consume,” Remi said in a bossy tone, pulling on Josie’s arm.
“Presents?” Josie asked in a daze.
“It’s not a birthday party without presents! I’m Caroline, by the way, and you’re adorable. Tiny. Pint-sized. Perfect for Blink.”
Josie couldn’t argue with the woman. Shewasall those things. But most importantly, she felt as if she finally belonged somewhere. She’d found her tribe—and it felt incredible.
Blink couldn’t take his gaze off of Josie. She was marvelous. In her element. She’d had a smile on her face all night, and heloved seeing it. She was so far from the near-feral, traumatized woman he’d first seen in the dark cell next to his, it wasn’t even funny.
And she was drunk.
Hammered.
Sloshed.
He didn’t mind. She deserved this. To completely relax, to let her guard down. She’d only turn thirty once, and he hated that it happened while she’d been a prisoner. He loved being able to give her this. Blink had worked hard to keep it a secret and get everyone together. And his plans had gone off without a hitch.
Now it was getting late, and some people had left, needing to get home to their families. Wren and Remi, as drunk as Josie, dragged Safe and Kevlar home minutes ago.
Surprisingly, Preacher, MacGyver, Flash, and Smiley hadn’t called it a night yet. Preacher was currently sitting at a table with Josie, Wolf, and Dude. Blink had thought Josie might feel intimidated being surrounded by the huge men, but from her body language, she seemed perfectly comfortable.
Caroline and Cheyenne were chatting at a nearby table, as they waited for their men.
Blink approached Josie’s table, and she turned to him. Her cheeks were flushed and she was smiling huge.
“Nate! This is Wolf and Dude! Aren’t those cool names? Dude is a bombadeer. You know, one of those bomb guys who keeps them from going boom! And that’s how he met Cheyenne! She had a bomb strapped to her chest! Herchest!” she exclaimed with a small frown. “And Wolf…every time I hear his name I wanna start singing that Duran Duran song. Preacher won’t tell me how he gothisname.”
“Don’t give me that pout,” Preacher told her with a laugh, relaxing in his chair. “Won’t work on me.”
